Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming

The Arctic is seasonally exposed to long periods of low temperatures and complete darkness. Consequently, perennial primary producers have to apply strategies to maximize energy efficiency. Global warming is occurring in the Arctic faster than the rest of the globe. The highest amplitude of temperat...

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Main Authors: Moritz Trautmann, Inka Bartsch, Margot Bligh, Hagen Buck-Wiese, Jan-Hendrik Hehemann, Sarina Niedzwiedz, Niklas Plag, Tifeng Shan, Kai Bischof, Nora Diehl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1478238/full
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author Moritz Trautmann
Inka Bartsch
Margot Bligh
Margot Bligh
Hagen Buck-Wiese
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Sarina Niedzwiedz
Niklas Plag
Niklas Plag
Tifeng Shan
Kai Bischof
Nora Diehl
Nora Diehl
author_facet Moritz Trautmann
Inka Bartsch
Margot Bligh
Margot Bligh
Hagen Buck-Wiese
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Sarina Niedzwiedz
Niklas Plag
Niklas Plag
Tifeng Shan
Kai Bischof
Nora Diehl
Nora Diehl
author_sort Moritz Trautmann
collection DOAJ
description The Arctic is seasonally exposed to long periods of low temperatures and complete darkness. Consequently, perennial primary producers have to apply strategies to maximize energy efficiency. Global warming is occurring in the Arctic faster than the rest of the globe. The highest amplitude of temperature rise occurs during Polar Night. To determine the stress resistance of the ecosystem-engineering kelp Laminaria digitata against Arctic winter warming, non-meristematic discs of adult sporophytes from Porsangerfjorden (Finnmark, Norway) were kept in total darkness at 0°C and 5°C over a period of three months. Physiological variables, namely maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm) and dry weight, as well as underlying biochemical variables including pigments, storage carbohydrates, total carbon and total nitrogen were monitored throughout the experiment. Although all samples remained in generally good condition with Fv/Fm values above 0.6, L. digitata performed better at 0°C than at 5°C. Depletion of metabolic products resulted in a constant decrease of dry weight over time. A strong decrease in mannitol and laminarin was observed, with greater reductions at 5°C than at 0°C. However, the total carbon content did not change, indicating that the sporophytes were not suffering from “starvation stress” during the long period of darkness. A decline was also observed in the accessory pigments and the pool of xanthophyll cycle pigments, particularly at 5°C. Our results indicate that L. digitata has a more active metabolism, but a lower physiological and biochemical performance at higher temperatures in the Arctic winter. Obviously, L. digitata is well adapted to Arctic Polar Night conditions, regardless of having its distributional center at lower latitudes. Despite a reduced vitality at higher temperatures, a serious decline in Arctic populations of L. digitata due to winter warming is not expected for the near future.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Marine Science
spelling doaj-art-4c94454287c04ab89c178888367420522024-11-08T17:11:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452024-11-011110.3389/fmars.2024.14782381478238Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warmingMoritz Trautmann0Inka Bartsch1Margot Bligh2Margot Bligh3Hagen Buck-Wiese4Jan-Hendrik Hehemann5Jan-Hendrik Hehemann6Sarina Niedzwiedz7Niklas Plag8Niklas Plag9Tifeng Shan10Kai Bischof11Nora Diehl12Nora Diehl13Faculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyAlfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, GermanyFaculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyMax-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, GermanyMax-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, GermanyFaculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyMax-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, GermanyFaculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyInstitute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, GermanyJulius Kühn-Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Brunswick, GermanyInstitute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, ChinaFaculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyFaculty of Biology and Chemistry & Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyAlfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, GermanyThe Arctic is seasonally exposed to long periods of low temperatures and complete darkness. Consequently, perennial primary producers have to apply strategies to maximize energy efficiency. Global warming is occurring in the Arctic faster than the rest of the globe. The highest amplitude of temperature rise occurs during Polar Night. To determine the stress resistance of the ecosystem-engineering kelp Laminaria digitata against Arctic winter warming, non-meristematic discs of adult sporophytes from Porsangerfjorden (Finnmark, Norway) were kept in total darkness at 0°C and 5°C over a period of three months. Physiological variables, namely maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm) and dry weight, as well as underlying biochemical variables including pigments, storage carbohydrates, total carbon and total nitrogen were monitored throughout the experiment. Although all samples remained in generally good condition with Fv/Fm values above 0.6, L. digitata performed better at 0°C than at 5°C. Depletion of metabolic products resulted in a constant decrease of dry weight over time. A strong decrease in mannitol and laminarin was observed, with greater reductions at 5°C than at 0°C. However, the total carbon content did not change, indicating that the sporophytes were not suffering from “starvation stress” during the long period of darkness. A decline was also observed in the accessory pigments and the pool of xanthophyll cycle pigments, particularly at 5°C. Our results indicate that L. digitata has a more active metabolism, but a lower physiological and biochemical performance at higher temperatures in the Arctic winter. Obviously, L. digitata is well adapted to Arctic Polar Night conditions, regardless of having its distributional center at lower latitudes. Despite a reduced vitality at higher temperatures, a serious decline in Arctic populations of L. digitata due to winter warming is not expected for the near future.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1478238/fullArctic amplificationC:NFv/Fmlaminarinmannitolpigments
spellingShingle Moritz Trautmann
Inka Bartsch
Margot Bligh
Margot Bligh
Hagen Buck-Wiese
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
Sarina Niedzwiedz
Niklas Plag
Niklas Plag
Tifeng Shan
Kai Bischof
Nora Diehl
Nora Diehl
Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
Frontiers in Marine Science
Arctic amplification
C:N
Fv/Fm
laminarin
mannitol
pigments
title Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
title_full Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
title_fullStr Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
title_full_unstemmed Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
title_short Impact of climate change on the kelp Laminaria digitata – simulated Arctic winter warming
title_sort impact of climate change on the kelp laminaria digitata simulated arctic winter warming
topic Arctic amplification
C:N
Fv/Fm
laminarin
mannitol
pigments
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1478238/full
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